Document processing devices are in widespread use in many businesses and academic settings. Such devices include copiers, scanners, printers and facsimile machines. Today, one or more functions associated with such devices are combined in a single unit, referred to as a multifunction peripheral (“MFP”) or multifunction device (“MFD”). MFPs are typically network connected to allow users to print remotely from their computers, scan documents that can be sent to a user's computer or a third party's computer (for example via email), copy documents, or fax documents to other people.
Efficient use of energy reduces operating costs. In MFPs, the main use of energy is in heating the toner fuser mechanism to a high enough temperature to melt the toner. The fuser is used to melt toner particles so that the toner adheres to a media substrate such as printer paper. In the normal or awake mode of an MFP, the fuser of the printer is kept warm so that there is little to no waiting period from the time a print job is submitted to when the printer can begin printing.
In order to save energy, MFPs typically are configured to go into energy saving sleep or deep sleep modes if there no activity on the MFP within a threshold, or pre-determined, period of time. In these energy saving modes, the printers turn off the fuser heating element to reduce power consumption.
However, if a new print job is submitted after the MFP enters an energy saving mode, the MFP return to the normal mode, reheat the fuser, and initiate the start of a print cycle. The MFP will then keep the fuser warm for a period of time before reentering an energy saving mode. Similarly, if a new print job is submitted just before the printer enters an energy saving mode, the MFP will initiate the print cycle and then restart the timer for determining whether to enter an energy saving mode. Intermittent printing therefore can prevent the MFP from entering an energy saving mode, or remaining in an energy saving mode, even if the MFP is not printing a substantial portion of the time.